


The Sentimental Old Fool

by NegativePersonality



Category: One Piece
Genre: Garp likes to complicate things, Gen, Luffy is about to wreck Impel Down, Not enough sake for this nonsense, Pre-Marineford, Troublemaking runs in the family, Whitebeard is amused
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-26
Updated: 2018-09-26
Packaged: 2019-07-17 19:44:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,331
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16102529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NegativePersonality/pseuds/NegativePersonality
Summary: In which Sengoku is lenient and Garp gets away with entirely too much





	The Sentimental Old Fool

**Author's Note:**

  * For [IcePrincesChan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/IcePrincesChan/gifts).



> I had a great idea and had to write it immediately. It absolutely wouldn't have happened without IcePrincesChan, so thank you, my friend.

 

 

“Still no word?”

“No, sir.”

“Very well. You may go.”

The marine nodded and turned.

Sengoku was rarely pleased where Garp was involved, and today was no exception. The old codger had gone missing – after being granted such a bold request, no less! – and no one knew why. His crew was annoyingly loyal and sure not to breathe a word, so Sengoku had to wait.

He had been taken aback – but not surprised – when the man had requested to see Ace. Sengoku knew his connections well, and while Justice had no need for sympathies, he was certain that Garp would not waver. He knew his position all too well. Besides…one wrong move, and he would be condemned just as quickly as the boy. Sengoku sighed and folded his hands. With that in mind, he had granted the Vice Admiral a few days’ leave to see the boy.

But instead he went missing, with no sight of him at Impel Down. What he wouldn’t give to know what that old man was doing.

In a way, he knew. All familial ties aside, Garp was not pleased with this plan (though he would rather die than admit it). Those men from the golden age of piracy, from the days of Roger – they were cut from a different cloth. Strong, unwavering, proud…definite criminals, and yet with an honour all their own. One couldn’t help but respect them, and he wouldn’t be surprised if there were men under him who admired them as well. It was a disgrace to their image as the bearers of Justice, but Sengoku knew there were some battles that weren’t worth fighting.

Until recently, no uncertainty had ever crossed his mind about Garp. And if Roger had begged for his help 20 years ago instead of the Vice Admiral’s? His thoughts went quiet, and Sengoku frowned. There was a reason Roger asked Garp and not him, and he knew it. But he couldn’t condemn Garp for his decision. Like Justice itself, the lives of the pirates were rarely so black and white. Even Sengoku knew it had nothing to do with sympathy.

But he couldn’t deny that the old fool was unpredictable, especially in times like these. His hands tightened. Waiting had never been a game he liked to play.

 

 

 

Whitebeard was not known to hold anything back, and today was no exception.

“A Vice Admiral? On _my_ ship?” He laughed and took a swig of sake. “What a disrespectful bastard. Marco!”

“Yeah?” he smiled, cracking his knuckles.

“Behave yourself,” Whitebeard scolded, though the grin had yet to leave his face. “You’ll get your fill of fighting in a few days. Go and see what he wants.”

Marco knew better than to question Pops, but he couldn’t help himself. “If you say so, yoi.”

“No ‘accidents’ now, you hear?” Whitebeard barked.

 

 

 

The first division commander made his way down to where the Marine ship waited. Garp was still there, arms crossed, looking rather small as he stood on that big ship all by himself. Where was his crew? Hiding? Marco smirked. And yet they were taunting Pops to war? Those cowards couldn’t be honourable if their lives depended upon it.

“So what do you want, you old geezer?” Marco called, landing on the railing of the ship.

“Mind your manners, brat. I’m here to see your captain.”

“What for?”

“That’s for Whitebeard to know.”

Marco laughed. “You don’t seem to understand how things work around here, _marine._ ” He stood, arms folded. “Granting a request after being so underhandedly threatened…Pirates aren’t as nice as you think, yoi.”

Garp’s expression didn’t change. “It’s about Ace.”

His eyes flashed. “So…it wasn’t enough to threaten his son, was it, yoi? You had to torment Pops as well?” A brilliant blue flame burst around him. His smile remained, but it held a dangerous intensity.

The old man shook his head. “I knew it would turn out like this,” he muttered. “But I had to try. It’s the least I could do for the boy.”

Marco recognized that look. He’d seen it every day in Whitebeards’ eyes, steadily growing from the moment he learned of Ace’s execution. The flames dimmed.

“You waste my time,” Marco hissed, his eyes as cold as ice, “and Vice Admiral or not, I’ll make sure it never happens again. Last chance, yoi.”

Garp grinned. “Did you get that look from Ace, or do all Whitebeard’s boys have it?” He shook his head, chuckling. “Eh, that wasn’t what I came here to talk about. I’m supposed to be in Impel Down. It’s not for a long time, but I have a chance to see the boy…and I figured he could use a word of encouragement from his Pops.” There was a sparkle in his eye, a challenge. “Not that it’ll change anything, I hope you know.”

Marco met his gaze. “Anything he has to say, he can say just fine on the battlefield, yoi.”

“So you intend to get him back?”

“You have to ask?”

“I had faith in the common sense I’ve heard so much about. It seems I was misinformed.”

“Your faith would’ve been better placed in Pops’ strength, yoi,” Marco grinned. “Those stories are much better anyway.”

“Perhaps…but I’ve always been a man who believed in action, not fairytales.”

“Is that a challenge, yoi?”

“Why, do you feel threatened, punk?”

“Tell Ace he won’t have to wait long,” Marco said, pushing off the railing and into the air.

“Bold,” Garp grinned. “But I have a soft spot for cocky bastards. Do your worst, Whitebeard Pirates. We’ll be waiting in Marineford.”

The Vice Admiral turned, and Marco watched until his ship disappeared into the distance.

 

 

 

“So, what did he want?”

Marco stood next to him, arms crossed. “He wanted to know if we had any last words for Ace.”

Whitebeard’s laughter shook the ship. “The nerve of those bastards!” He started for a drink, but realized it was empty. “Those Marines, always good for a laugh.”

“A laugh that’ll be all the better when Ace is back,” Marco added.

“All the better,” Whitebeard agreed, reclining in his seat a bit more than usual. Marco noticed, but didn’t say anything.

 

 

 

Garp didn’t tell him.

It’s not that he didn’t want to. But he was a man of action, not fairytales, and it was clear in the boy’s eyes that he didn’t believe in anything anymore. He would only take it the wrong way, and Garp didn’t want to cause him any further grief.

Those damn pirates, they never listened to anyone. All he wanted was a simple encouragement and they couldn’t even do that. He sighed, pushing his hands in his suit pockets as he walked away from the cell.

Garp knew that the wrestling in his chest would only get worse, and that it was ultimately the reason he chose to go see them. He wanted to know exactly what they were up against. At least he knew he wouldn’t be tempted to join them…no, he couldn’t join them. He couldn’t disrespect them like that. It was clear that they didn’t want his help, even though they might need it. But it still gave him a sense of peace. Come what may, they would fight, and they would fight hard. Hell, they might even fight as hard as Garp would’ve, if he had been in their place.

He had to hold on to his convictions just a little longer. The finality of it all had come to rest with him for a while now. This would be his last battle, no matter how it went. It was hard enough to see Ace there, but…he stopped, unable to think about it. No, it’s a good thing that little brat was who-knows-where thanks to Kuma. If it was him and not Ace, Garp might actually have to fight. Who he would fight, though…no. Best not to think on it any more than that.

 

 


End file.
